• Water

Global Warming has Pushed Western States into a “Forever Drought”

• California
• Colorado
• Drought
• snow drought

by Amy Lupica, ODP Staff Writer Water experts say that worsening drought conditions across the nation may be here to stay. Extreme drought conditions in western states like Utah, Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico were once a semi-centennial occurrence, happening every 50 years. Now, these droughts are a common occurrence that disproportionately burdens low-income communities. […]

• Water

Turkey Is Praying for Rain

• climate change
• crop failure
• dams
• Drought
• Turkey
• water

Turkey is experiencing its most severe drought in a decade after critically low rainfall over the past six months. Istanbul has less than 45 days of water remaining. Ankara, the country’s capital has 110. Other cities also face limited water and depleted dams, and farmers are concerned about crop failure.

Why this Matters: Things are so bad, the imams are telling their worshipers to pray for rain.

• Water

Former Michigan Governor Charged in Flint Water Crisis

• en
• Flint
• Flint Water Crisis
• Michigan

by Amy Lupica, ODP Staff Writer Yesterday, former Michigan governor, Rick Snyder, was criminally charged in connection to the 2014 Flint water crisis that led to 12 deaths, dozens of illnesses, and left hundreds of residents of the predominantly Black city without drinkable water. Several Michigan government officials have been criminally charged since then, including […]

• Water

Flood Costs Rising

• climate change
• damage
• Flooding
• natural disasters
• severe storms

The costs of inaction on climate change keep rising  — an additional $2.5 billion a year in just U.S. flood damage. A study published this week found that from 1988-2017, increased rainfall led to a total of $75 billion in damage. 

Why this Matters: Flooding is one of the most common and expensive natural disasters and will only go up in the years ahead.

• Water

As Colorado River Dries, New Questions about Water Management Arise

• colorado river
• Drought
• Fire
• Water Management
• water rights

For twenty years, conditions across the Colorado River Basin have worsened as temperatures rose due to climate change.  In 2020, unrelenting heat and super dry conditions left the soil extremely parched, rivers and streams running low, and reservoirs in the region well below capacity.

Why this Matters: Research suggests that the river could lose 1/4 of its flow by 2050 as the climate continues to heat up.

• Water

Sudan Suffers from Worst Flooding in Recent Memory

• Africa
• conflicts
• Drought
• Sudan

by Natasha Lasky, ODP Staff Writer In the latter half of 2020, Sudan experienced devastating flooding. By the end of September, the U.N. World Food Program country director in South Sudan said that the country needed immediate aid to avoid “catastrophic hunger” levels. Since then, nearly 1 million people have been displaced or isolated by […]